I Am
by luvy
Summary: Hinacentric. Hinata was pronounced dead by the Hyuugas. It was also revealed that Hiashi isn't the real father. What lies in her past?
1. Chapter 1

**Luvmobako1: Hi! This is my first ever fanfic and umm...I am kinda nervous about it. Well it's Hina-centric so expect lotsa Hinata yumminess. Mkay...read and review pls. **

**Luvmobako1 does not own Naruto or any of the characters here. (except those you don't recognize...I guess)**

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Chapter 1 

The early morning sun was shining brightly above the sky. The birds were happily chirping and the fresh morning breeze was driving away the cold damp air of the night. To say the least, it was another perfect day to stroll outside and bask in the beauty of the surroundings. A little girl no older than seven ran outside heading to the forest. Her bluish colored hair swayed with the wind as she sped through the narrow path that led to the forest. The lavender dress that she wore danced as she carefully jumped over fallen tree limbs that scattered across the forest floor. Her little feet slowed down as she came to a clearing. This was her sanctuary, the only place where all the cares of the world somehow vanished. It was her own little paradise. She felt like she belong here with the flowers, and the bunnies that hopped around, the butterflies that colored the air, the birds that sang their melodious tune, and the gentle stream that seemed to carry all her troubles away.

"Okaa-san loves flowers."

Her purplish white eyes scanned the area and abruptly stopped to gaze at the white flowers that grew near the stream. She approached the flowers and gently ran her fingers through the milky white petals of the rose.

"This is perfect for Okaa-san." She smiled.

Perfect. She would bring those roses to her mother's grave later. The thought of her deceased mother no longer brought tears through her eyes for she knew that her mother was now an angel watching over her. It was true that she had cried herself to sleep for months after her mother's death, but she realized that her Okaa-san would not want to see her cry like that. She willed herself to become stronger, but bits of pain still lingered and poked at her heart. This is why she would come to the forest, to her sanctuary, her refuge. The forest was her only friend and comfort.

She laid her head down on the soft green grass and clutched the bouquet of white roses as she slowly drifted to sleep.

"Hinata…darling, the world is not all bright and beautiful." A soft voice spoke to her.

"Okaa-san?" the little girl murmured.

Soft and silky hands gently rubbed the child's cheeks.

"Listen carefully Hinata. There are far more darker things in this world that you live in, but do not be afraid. I will always be here to watch over you. Promise me that you'll be stronger."

The image of her mother gently faded away.

"I promise Okaa-san." Silent tears flowed down her chubby cheeks. "I promise."

-----Line-----Line-----Line-----

"Hyuuga-sama." The guard bowed before his master. Hyuuga Hiashi, one of the most prominent leaders and a well-respected noble, directed his gaze upon the loyal guard bowed before him.

"You know what to do." His voice of authority resonated through the walls of the large room.

"Hai." The guard once again bowed before exiting.

Several pairs of white eyes came out from the shadows of the dimly lit room.

One spoke. "It's inevitable. The Hyuugas cannot allow impurities."

Another nodded. "We wish we could've done this sooner."

"At last, our honorable clan shall be rid of the weak."

"Of course, we cannot allow our name to be tainted." Another added.

A woman among them interjected. "But is it right to spill royal blood?"

Silence

"Ahh, but that blood, though royal, is..." The man paused as if thinking of a more suitable word to describe it. "Contaminated."

Nods of agreement filled the room.

"Therefore.." He continued. "The purging must commence."

Hiashi remained quiet during the entire conversation. He knew that Karura, his wife, would never in her life allow this to happen. But he wanted this more than anything else. She was dead and there was no way for her to stop him now. Images of his grieving wife suddenly plagued his thoughts.

'No, Karura, I have decided. You knew I hated that…that…'

He couldn't even finish his sentence for lack of words to describe the hatred he felt. It can't be stopped. No turning back now. He paused to relieve himself of distracting thoughts. Then, a smirk resembling that of a devil's made its way on his lips. He closed his eyes to savor the moment.

'I am free.'

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**Hmm...what is Hiashi and the elders talking about? Find out in chapter 2. If you don't understand what's happening in the story, don't worry...I'll try my best to clear it up. I'm also sorry if there are wrong spellings and grammar. **

**Oh and umm...I don't really know the name of Hinata's mom. I read one fic and her mom's name there is Karura, but I'm not 100 percent sure. If you would be so kind, please provide me with the correct information. Thank You! **

**I haven't decided on the pairings yet, but I'm thinking SasuHina. It's all up to the readers though, so vote now.**

**Read and Review please! If you're thinking of flaming, how 'bout turning it into constructive criticism. Luv u all!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well well...here's chapter 2. I updated as soon as I can eventhough I only got 1 review...lol. That one review alone made me happy enough to continue this fic. Thank you Cream-Bunny156.**

**Read and Review pls. It keeps me going.**

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Chapter 2

Murmurs were heard. Whispers filled every corner. It was the talk of the town. News spread like wild fire, and it seemed to consume all of Konoha. Gasps from women were heard. Faces etched with sadness, some of shock, were displayed.

"Good heavens! Is it true?!"

"Oh Kami, such a cruel fate."

"What a gruesome death for such a lovely young princess."

It was confirmed, Hyuuga Hinata is dead. At a young age of 7 years old, her life was brutally taken away.

"I heard all that was left was a bloody lavender ribbon."

"Her remains were not even found yet."

"Damn wolves must have torn her to bits."

Mothers covered their children's ears. It was a sickeningly horrible news. How could such a cute little girl deserve that kind of death.

"I wonder how the Hyuuga's are taking this."

"The whole state was mourning. Rumors say that they held a commemoration for her death. All of the nobles and high-ranked officials were gathered."

"Lord Hiashi must be in so much pain. First was the death of his wife, now it was his daughter."

"They say he still hasn't come out of his room."

"Poor man. I can't help but grieve for his loss."

-----Line-----Line-----Line-----

Hiashi indeed has locked himself in his room and would not allow anyone to come in. He had a wine glass on his right hand and a bottle on the other. His first born child and heir is dead. He was celebrating.

"Hyuuga Hinata is dead." He had a smirk plastered on his usually stoic face.

He liked the way it sounded. The words brought pleasure to his ears.

"Hyuuga Hinata is dead." He repeated.

Actually no, he did not like it...he loved it!

"Finally, I am free. Free from the curse that you have brought upon me."

He poured more of the expensive wine into his wine glass. Then, he lifted it to the air as if to give a toast.

"I am free."

-----Line-----Line-----Line-----

"How long do you think will it take Lord Hiashi to get over this incident?"

"First it was his wife, now it's his first born daughter, I bet he will never recover."

"What are you talking about?! He hated the Hyuuga princess."

"Now, where in the world did you hear that from?"

"One of the Hyuuga servants told me."

"The child was too sweet, how could anybody hate that girl, her father nonetheless?"

"Well, a main house maid told me an interesting story about it. Wanna hear?"

-----Line-----The Story-----Line-----

"Hiashi, I'm pregnant."

He knew sooner or later she would confess it. He already saw the faint chakra in her womb through his byakugan.

"Both you and I know that the child is not yours." Karura's voice wavered as she spoke.

It took him a few moments before he responded.

"Pray that the child is more Hyuuga..." He paused. "If not...you just have to accept the fact that it is not welcome here in the palace."

She could not believe the words that her husband uttered. She was stunned. Karura remained glued to her spot while tears flowed freely from her eyes.

-----Line-----End Story-----Line-----

"So, Lord Hiashi wasn't her real father?"

"Weren't you paying attention to the story?!"

"Who's the real father then?"

"The maid never told me."

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**Don't worry my lovely readers, I'm not gunna kill Hinata just like that. She's still alive and kicking, but how? Find out in chapter 3.**

**Hmmm...some of Hinata's past has been revealed, but I have more in store. I still have alotta explaining to do. Keep reading pls.**

**I decided that there will be a love story in the future chapters. Who would you want Hinata paired up with? Please tell me asap so I can plan out the plot properly.**

**Oh and umm...Review please! I'd like to know what you think about the story. Review Review Review! yay!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ooh! Thank you to all those people who reviewed. I luv u all!**

**Read and Review please. **

**Luvmobako1 does not own Naruto. Mkay! **

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Chapter 3

"I think she's waking up." A young boy about 9 years of age stated.

His companion/master just nodded and continued cleaning his enormous sword, which suited him well. He lifted the sword up and saw his reflection on it. He ruffled his spiky black hair in satisfaction. His sword is once again ready to spill some blood. Oh, how he loved to see crimson liquid trickle down the blade of his weapon.

Purplish white pupil-less eyes were revealed as she slowly opened her eyelids. She realized she was no longer outside. She assumed that she was in the confinement of a room. However, she did not recognize the dark-colored walls or that huge painting of a mighty dragon hanging in a golden frame. The bed she laid on, though comfortable, was not hers either. The pillows were firm and the sheets were dark blue. This is definitely not her room. 'Father only allows pure white sheets in the manor.' Heck, this isn't even her home.

"W-where am I?" She asked to no one in particular.

"You're at our house." The boy answered.

She gasped. She was not expecting any answer at all. She didn't even realize that there was someone in the room with her. She looked to her right and there she saw a person sitting by her bedside. The room was dimly lit so she had to squint her eyes to have a better look. She can tell that the person was still young, maybe a couple of years older than she was. Long, silky black hair framed the gentle face and the rest of the hair was gathered in a bun.

"She's beautiful." She did not notice that she was thinking her thoughts out loud.

The boy, who she thought was a girl, formed a slight blush on his cheeks. He smiled at her.

"Ano, just to let you know, I am a boy."

Once again, she let out a gasp and her face turned a few shades of red. Here she was, in a foreign place, being taken care of a total stranger, and already she was being so rude by offending him. She usually keeps her mouth shut, and when she finally speaks, she says the stupidest things. 'Gah! So embarrassing.'

"G-gomen, gomen nasai. P-please d-don't be m-mad. I-I didn't m-mean to." She hid herself under the blanket to prevent herself from further embarrassment.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

She carefully peeked from the blanket. She scanned the area to see where the laughter was coming from. Then she saw a scary looking man slouched on the couch. Don't get me wrong, he was not scary because he was ugly. He might even be good looking. Actually, one can't really tell because he had bindings covering most of his face. She stared at him and according to her judgments, this man was a powerful being. He was big and muscular, and to say the least, he was very intimidating. The huge sword that looked bigger than her scared her even more. 'One swing from that sword can slash me in half!' She gulped.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when the boy spoke again.

"I'm Haku by the way." His smile comforted her. "And you are?" He waited for a reply.

"H-hinata." She stared intently on her fingers as she fiddled with them.

"Hinata? Hmm…" He recognized the name.

He knew he heard that name just recently. Then, it hit him.

"You mean _the_ Hyuuga Hinata?" Haku inquired.

"H-hai." She looked at him. 'He knows me, maybe he's a friend'

Both Haku and his master were surprised. 'How could this be possible?' Haku turned his gaze to his master and he realized that he was thinking the same exact thing. 'Didn't the Hyuugas declare her officially dead just a couple of days ago? They even held a memorial the next day. Her death was confirmed by the torn ribbon with _her _blood smeared on it.'

Hinata saw confusion engraved on their faces. 'Did I say something wrong?' She had begun to pull on the blanket to cover her face again.

"Zabuza?" Haku called his master.

Zabuza led him outside the room, leaving the now confused Hinata to think by herself.

-----Line-----Line-----Line-----

"How could she still be alive?" Haku asked.

"Hm." He could tell that Zabuza was thinking.

"They found her ribbon, and they confirmed that it was definitely her blood that soaked it." Haku stated.

"We found the girl sleeping under the tree. There was not a single drop of blood on her clothes." Zabuza tried to remember what she looked like when they found her.

"If I remember correctly, her dress was missing a ribbon." Haku confirmed.

"See if you can find out anything from her."

Haku nodded and went back to the room where Hinata was.

-----Line-----Line-----Line-----

"Hinata, can you tell me what happened to you?"

She looked at him and saw that his eyes were filled with nothing but concern and compassion. 'I guess he can be trusted.' She nodded her head and started to recall what happened the past few days.

_Flashback_

_The sound of sloshing grass awakened __Hinata__ from her slumber. She tried to open her dreary eyes to see what had disturbed her sleep. She gradually sat up and directed her gaze to a figure slowly approaching her. The figure came to a halt a couple of feet before her._

_"G-guard-san?"_

_He __didn't__ answer. He was so deep in thought for him to hear her soft voice. He knelt down before her and stared at the little girl's face. 'Damn __Hiashi__, of all people why did he have to pick me for this "special" mission.' __Hinata__ noticed the stress lines on the guard's face. It seemed like he __hasn't__ been sleeping well for how many days now. __So__, she did what her heart told her to do._

_"G-guard-san, a-__ano__…" _

_She picked one white rose from her bouquet and lifted it to the guard's face._

_The guard was snapped out of his reverie when a white blob blocked his line of vision. It was a flower, a white rose to be exact. She had given him a white rose. He felt like his heart __was being __squished__. THUMP PA-THUMP THUMP. His heart was beating erratically. 'Here I am, trying to kill her, and she hands me a flower.' His mind was going overdrive. How could he kill such a sweet child? He was so confused __at the moment_

****

_'It's a mission, my mission! I __was ordered__ to kill her. I only follow orders.'_

_ **'You will still follow orders even if you know they're wrong?'**_

_'Who said it's wrong__'_

_ **'She's innocent. Do you think Kami would ever forgive you if you commit such act?'**_

_He could not answer his inner self. He looked at the child before him. She stared back and gave him the sweetest smile. His heart ached at the thought of killing such a beautiful princess._

_'I can__'__t kill her. I can__'__t kill an angel.'_

_**'-Boy, you do know that Hiashi will kill you if he finds out that you haven't accomplished your mission yet.-'** His darker inner spoke._

_'To hell with it! I'm not doing this damned mission.'_

_**'-It's a crime not to follow Lord Hiashi's orders. Oh what punishment awaits. **Chuckles**-'**_

_'A crime is not a crime when no one finds out about it.'_

_It's odd to consider not committing a crime a crime. **(AN: ****It's**** a bit confusing but I hope you guys get it.)**_

_'I'm not killing her and it's final.' Pause 'But what do I do now?'_

_It took him a moment to come up with a plan. 'Oh Kami, help me.'_

_"Hinata-hime, come with me please." She complied. He carried her in his arms as he head deeper into the woods. He sped through the forest, jumping from tree to tree. Hinata clutched onto him tighter and buried her face in his uniform. His feet carried him further and further away from Hyuuga lands until they were near the Fire-River border. 'Just a few miles away is the River Country' They stopped near a pathway. 'I'll just leave her here. I'm pretty sure this road is frequently used. Someone will surely notice her here. Oh Kami, please send someone who'll take pity on her.' He turned her around and tore the ribbon off her back. _

_"Hinata-hime, please forgive me for what I'm about to do. I promise to make it quick"_

_He took her arm and slashed it with a kunai. Hinata whimpered and tried to run away from him. The guard held on to her tightly. He wiped the blood with the ribbon on his hand. Then, he healed her wound with a basic healing jutsu_

_"There now, the wound is gone. Please don't cry hime."_

_"G-guard-san, w-why?" She asked through sobs._

_He hesitated at first, but he knew that she had the right to know._

_"Your father ordered me to kill you. But, I can't bring myself to kill an innocent child like you."_

_She have always felt that her father didn't like her, but she couldn't believe that he would go so low as to order someone to kill her. Her father hated her so much._

_"Listen to me hime you can never go back to Hyuuga lands, not even Konoha. If they find out that you're still alive, they will kill us both." She was just blankly staring at him._

_"Do not ever come back to Hyuuga lands. Understand!"_

_Her eyes were once again flooded with tears. 'Oka-san, I don't know what to do.'_

_"Trust me, you are far more safer here. Forgive me Hinata-hime."_

_He formed some hand seals._

_"Nehan Shouja no Jutsu" (**AN: Sorry****, I can****'****t think of a more appropriate ****jutsu.)**_

_The genjustsu immediately put her to sleep._

_"Forgive me." He disappeared after that last statement._

_End Flashback_

"A-and now, I'm h-here." She finished telling Haku her story.

He couldn't help but feel pity towards her. They were so much alike. He remembered how his father, along with the villagers, also wanted him dead. She was another poor soul like him. He understood her tears. He understood the pain that she felt, for it was the same pain that tortured his heart. He wanted to comfort her, to save her from misery. He wanted to give her a new life, a life with acceptance. So, he did what he could only do at that moment. He hugged her.

"Hinata, stay with me. I will protect you. We will be a new family."

The words he spoke somehow comforted her. She felt accepted for the very first time after her mother's death. This will be a new beginning for her, the start of a new life.

"My new family." She smiled and hugged him back.

Zabuza stood by the doorway watching the two. He knew that the three of them were somewhat alike. With each other though, they would find acceptance. He knew the life that they were living right now is tough and dangerous. Too tough and too dangerous for a princess actually. But, he would never leave a family member behind. She's part of the family now. Yes, he would train her until she's able to stand up for herself, and maybe one day, the three of them would carry out their revenge. He approached the two with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Get up hime, we shall train."

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**Gasp! Could Zabuza be Hinata's father? Maybe...maybe not. Sorry, I can't tell you yet.**

**Ooh do you guys think HinaxHaku would be a cute pairing?**

**Hinata will undergo rigorous training under Zabuza and Haku. She will learn new jutsus and she will learn to use her bloodline limit as well. Will there be new revelations as she goes through her training? Keep reading and find out!**

**Review please! Review please! Review please! Thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay! I finally updated and made it extra long coz I made you all wait. So here's Chapter 4, I hope you like it. I actually did some intense research to make my story fairly accurate…lol. I originally had a person in mind for Hinata's father, but I realized that he didn't really fit into the story. I wanted to bang my head on the wall coz I thought I would be disappointing all of you. But, I finally found the perfect man! _Dun dun dun dun_. Gah! I wanna tell you all who the father is, but I can't. –tries to restrain self- Sorry, you just have to wait.**

**Luvmobako1 does not own Naruto, so don't sue me…**

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Chapter 4 

Day and night they trained until their bodies were to the point of exhaustion. Hinata didn't mind though. It was all paying up. Her sacrifices were never in vain. She has changed a lot over the last few years. She's twelve years old now and she's very different from what she looked like back when she was seven. Her cute bob-cut hair now went down to her shoulders. Her skin was still pale as usual, but her chubby body was replaced by a toned one. Years of rigorous training transformed all her baby fat into well-shaped muscles. She was not brawny, but she didn't look like the weakling she once thought herself to be. With the help of Zabuza's strict tone and constant reprimanding, Hinata lost her stutter. She no longer stammered, but she pronounced her words eloquently. She was still quiet as usual and didn't speak when she's not spoken to. She only opened her mouth when she felt the need to do so. She remained to be that girl with few words, but when she does speak, she would state what's on her mind concisely and straight to the point. Zabuza and Haku really helped her bring down those emotional barriers and brought confidence back to her. Those five years had turned her into a completely different person, but the most significant change that can be seen in her was her eyes. Her once pure-white eyes are now purple. At first, she thought it was because she refrained to use her bloodline limit, the byakugan, so she would not become too dependent on it. However, this was not the reason, for her byakugan was still working fine, if not, better. Not even Haku or Zabuza could come up with a reason why, so they just left it at that. They found it working to their benefit actually. Now, no one would be able to tell that Hinata was a Hyuuga. Her hair color even changed from black/brown to a purplish blue. New look, new attitude, new Hinata...perfect!

Haku, on the other hand, erm…still looked like a girl…kinda. Nevertheless, he was definitely more beautiful than before. I'm not sure if that should be taken as a compliment. Zabuza still looked strong and impressive as usual. He still enjoyed mass murder and he absolutely loved hearing the pleas and cries of pain from those he slaughtered mercilessly. There were many times when he truly wanted to kill Hinata. Those were the times when he was undeniably disappointed with her slow improvements. He felt like she was not worthy enough of breathing the same air he does. But, she was a part of the family, so he restrained himself from harming her. He's not that cold-hearted after all.

They traveled from country to country, learning new jutsu as they go along their way. At first, Hinata thought they were just sightseeing, but later on she found out that the only reason they kept on moving was to avoid Mist hunter-nins. She did not want to ask them the reason why they were being hunted, but curiosity got the best of her.

"Umm..Haku-nii, why are hunter-nins after us?"

"Well, you see..." He looked at Hinata. "We're missing-nins."

He began to explain their life story. Zabuza originated from Water Country, where his disheartening past started. Their hidden village's way of picking genins were cruel. Students had to fight each other to death to achieve that level. One year though, no one remained to attain genin level. They were all slaughtered, all 100 students, by none other than nine year old Zabuza. This earned him the nickname "The Devil of Hidden Mist." He was a fierce warrior, and he achieved jounin level. He was known for his expertise in silent killing. Later on he became one of Mist's Seven Shinobi Swordsmen. His allegiance to the Hidden Mist somehow wavered, and he attempted to assassinate the Mizukage. He failed and was forced to flee. He traveled across the world in attempts of losing the hunter-nins after him.

"That's when I met him." Haku closed his eyes and replayed the scene in his mind.

"At my former village, having an advanced bloodline was frowned upon. As a young child, I was so fascinated to discover that I had the ability to manipulate water. That was when my life at the village ended. I accidently revealed my mother's darkest secret when my father saw me playing with water. He gathered the people and killed Okaa-san, and then they headed towards me. I was scared; I didn't know what to do. The events after that were a blur to me. All I remember is ice, lots of ice and my pursuers...dead. I left the village with no intended direction. I wandered the streets and became a beggar. I had no one and no reason to live, I was ready to die, but then I met Zabuza. He took me in with no hesitation and trained me in the ninja arts. I was finally accepted, Zabuza had given me a purpose for living again."

Hinata was on the verge of tears.

"We're the same..ne?" Hinata stated.

They were the same. Haku's father, like Hinata's, wanted him dead. The only difference was they wanted to eliminate Haku because he was strong. Hinata, on the other hand, was being rid of because she was weak, at least that's what she thinks. Little did she know that there was a darker reason why her father wanted her killed.

"No need to cry." Haku smiled and brushed the tears that slid down her cheeks.

"Sleep Hina, I wanna show you how beautiful the sunrise is here in the Land of Waves." He kissed her forehead and left her to sleep.

-----Line-----Line-----Line-----

"Hina...Hina, wake up." Hinata awoke to someone gently poking her on the shoulder.

"Haku-nii, it's still dark, I need more sleep." Hinata tried to pull her blanket over her head.

"Okay then, you'll just have to miss the surprise I prepared for you." Haku just smiled and turned to leave, but Hinata immediately sat up and threw her covers away.

"I'm up! I'm up! Let me just get ready." She ran to the bathroom in the speed of light.

Haku left the room and waited for Hinata to finish getting ready. Five minutes later, Hinata came out panting.

"I'm ready!" She had finished taking a shower and had gotten dressed in record time.

Haku took her hand and led her outside, but Hinata stopped.

"Wait, what about breakfast?" No, Hinata was not a fatty. It's just that she always remembers her mother telling her that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

"Don't worry." Haku chuckled. "I have it right here." He lifted his right hand to show a picnic basket.

They arrived at an abandoned beach and found a spot on an old wooden dock. Hinata helped Haku spread the picnic blanket and set up the food that Haku prepared for them. Hinata happily stared at the food laid before her. There were eggs and bacon and pancakes and maple syrup, etc. He also took out a bottle of milk for each of them. Hinata couldn't decide if she wanted blueberry pancakes or chocolate chip. She blushed when her stomach could no longer contain her hunger while Haku laughed upon hearing her stomach grumble. They ate while watching the beautiful sunrise paint the morning sky. He glanced over at Hinata and saw how happy she was. His heart was satisfied to see the sweet smile on her face. Over the years, he had developed a stronger liking on the Hyuuga girl. He tried to ignore these feelings by telling himself that it was just sibling love, but he knew it was more than that. Of course, he couldn't tell her this, she only thought of him as a brother. It pained him alot to think that she would never return his feelings, but as long as she's happy, he will be happy. That's all that matters anyway.

"Mmm...Haku-nii, I didn't know you were such a great cook!" He blushed and quickly changed the subject.

"So, your Okaa-san said that breakfast is the most important meal." The statement sounded more like an inquiry.

"Hai, she said it gets your metabolism going."

"Hmm, when Zabuza and I were on missions, we usually skipped breakfast. I didn't feel any different." Haku stated.

"Oh, well Okaa-san never really elaborated on it."

So, they decided not to pursue the topic any further and started cleaning up. They sat there for a while just gazing on the sky.

"Let's spar." Haku initiated.

Hinata nodded and got up from her seat. They pushed chakra onto their feet and walked on top of the water. They stopped and went into their fighting stances. Haku had his hand ready by his senbon pouch, while Hinata was on her altered version of Jyuuken, the Hyuuga Gentle Fist fighting style. Haku was the first to make a move. He shot several senbons, but she easily dodged them. Several more senbons, kunais and shurikens flew around and then they decided that warm up was over. It's time to get on with the real sparring.

Haku formed some hand seals and chanted, "Suiton: Suigadan (Water Release: Water Fang Bullet)." Water spikes suddenly surrounded Hinata.

"Suiton: Suijinheki (Water Release: Water Encampment Wall)" She had created a barrier just in time to protect her.

Haku immediately threw senbons at her as soon as the water wall came down. It hit Hinata directly on her vital spots, but he realized that it was merely a clone for her image quickly dissolved back into shapeless water. Hinata emerged behind him from underneath the water ready to close some of his tenkutsu. He quickly formed an ice mirror and evaded the attack. 'She's gotten better. She could have closed some chakra holes in my right arm and disabled it.' They stared at each other waiting for each other to move. Haku formed some hand seals. 'Oh no, he's gunna perform the Demonic Ice Mirrors already.' Her eyes grew wide and she tried to run away, but Haku disappeared and was already behind her. She gasped and turned around only to be kneed on the stomach. Haku jumped on the air and performed another jutsu while she was still down.

"HiJutsu, Sensatsu Suishou (Secret Skill, Flying Water Needles)." Piercing needles coming from all directions rained towards her.

She wasn't planning on activating her byakugan throughout the session. 'I guess it can't be helped.' Hinata was also forced to perform the new jutsu that she was currently working on. 'I have to execute this perfectly no matter what.'

"Shugo Hakke Rokujyuyonshou (Guardian Eight Divination Signs, Sixty-Four Palms of the Hand)." Her hands moved in all directions forming a strong chakra barrier. All of Haku's attacks were deflected.

"Impressive, you learned another technique by yourself." Haku was really amazed at her learning capabilities. She learned Hyuuga techniques without anyone teaching her. He couldn't understand how this was possible.

"I used to always watch Neji-nii and the others train."

Hinata had an exceptional memory, almost photographic actually. Because of this, she could easily remember the hand seals and how to execute them. Her father was totally wrong about her. She was not weak or stupid like he always says, she just lacked the drive. She didn't want to be a shinobi, she was far more interested with flowers, butterflies, and all the beautiful things in nature. She wanted to show her father that she can perform those jutsus, but his constant taunting and scolding intimidated her to the point where she lost all confidence in herself. However, she's a different person now. She understands fully that she has to be stronger if she wants to survive. She has to be stronger for herself and her Okaa-san.

_Flashback_

_"Listen carefully Hinata. There are far more darker things in this world that you live in, but do not be afraid. I will always be here to watch over you. Promise me that you'll be stronger."_

_The image of her mother gently faded away._

_"I promise Okaa-san." Silent tears flowed down her chubby cheeks. "I promise."_

_End Flashback_

The duo picked up their stuff and headed back to their temporary home. They saw Zabuza talking to some unfamiliar men, but they shrugged it off and went to their separate rooms to change their wet clothes.

-----Line-----Line-----Line-----

_Seven-year-old__ Hinata was again picking flowers on the clearing. It was the same exact forest, her sanctuary. A few minutes passed and she was finished picking all the flowers that she __needed. She separated the flowers in two piles and tied each bunch with silky white ribbons._

_"This one's for Haku-nii and this is for Zabuza." She looked at her flower arrangements proudly. "I'll give these to them now."_

_She searched for them and saw them walking towards a strange light. "Haku-nii...Zabuza!" She yelled._

_They didn't even spare her a mere glance__. It was as if they were ignoring her. She started to cry and shout their names once again. This time, they looked back at her. _

_"Where are you guys going? Wait for me." She ran as fast as she could to catch up to them, but it seemed like she was not getting closer._

_"Hina-chan, you can't go to where we're going yet." They turned back around and faded into the bright light._

_"No, don't leave me! Haku-nii...Zabuza, don't leave me." Then she woke up panting._

She was scared once again. 'I don't want them to leave me.' She went to Haku's room to check if he was still there, and to her relief, he was sleeping peacefully in his bed.

"Haku-nii..." She tried to wake him up.

"Hm? Hina, what are you doing here?" Hinata sat on his bed and held on to Haku's hand.

"Haku-nii, you're not gunna leave me...right?" She looked at him directly in the eyes waiting for a response.

"What kind of question is that? Of course, I will never leave you Hina-chan." He didn't know what made her question him this. 'Probably a nightmare.'

"Can I stay here tonight?" She asked.

Haku blushed, but it was not noticeable, thank goodness it was dark. "Hai, anytime."

So, Hinata went under the blanket and cuddled with Haku as they slowly drifted back to sleep. She felt safe with him so her nightmares were now forgotten.

-----Line-----Line-----Line-----

Hinata woke up and found herself still laying down in Haku's bed. As soon as she was done stretching, Haku came barging in.

"Hey Hina, Zabuza and I are kind of in a hurry right now. You can take care of yourself right? Don't worry, we'll be back by nightfall."

Hinata just nodded and followed him to the door leading outside. She heard Zabuza mumbling, "Those incompetent fools, I just have to finish the work myself." Hinata waved to them goodbye, but before leaving, they reminded her to stay inside, not to open the doors to anyone, not to talk to strangers, etc. Although she was more than capable of defending herself, they were still over-protective when it comes to her. They never even let her come to any of their so-called "missions" for fear of getting her hurt. Of course, she did not complain about this and waited home like the good little girl she is.

"Hmm, what should I have for breakfast?" Hinata asked herself.

She felt too lazy to prepare anything today, so she just made cereal and milk. She washed the dishes afterwards and then went on to cleaning the house. She didn't have much to clean because they were all neat and tidy people. She found herself having absolutely nothing to do. Hinata decided she would just do something productive for herself and read those scrolls that Zabuza brought her. By lunchtime, she had learned more about the history of The Five Great Shinobi Nations. Once again, she has nothing left to do. If only Zabuza had allowed her to go outside, she would have been able to train all day.

"I'm gunna take a bath." she sighed in frustration.

While she was relaxing in the tub and cleansing herself with bubbly fragrant water, Zabuza was facing a Konoha shinobi by the name of Hatake Kakashi in a deadly battle. Apparently, he and his genin students were sent to protect his target, the bridge-builder.

'Perfect! Why didn't I think of this before?' Hinata realized that she could train some of her water and ice jutsu in the bathroom. She wanted to be able to manipulate wind and water better. She washed her hairand after that relaxed herself some more, then soaked her body under the water. 'Ahh...warm water is so relaxing.' Steam filled the whole room. 'Wait, wasn't I supposed to be training? Hmm, how do i make ice in the midst of this heat?' She thought about it for a while. 'Wind and water...wind and water.' Hinata used her chakra to gather all the steam in the room and compressed it to form a cloud above her. 'Ok, so I made a rain cloud.' She then tried to form a gust of wind, but she had used too much chakra on it. 'A mini tornado? This wasn't what I was hoping for. I guess the heat is making this happen.' She lessened her chakra on the wind and the mini waterspout slowly died. 'Think cold air Hinata, cold air, cold air.' She repeated to herself. She pushed out some chakra and concentrated the cold air with the cloud. 'Just a little bit more.' She put a tad bit more chakra on the cold wind and then waited for the outcome. Nothing. 'I can do wind and water jutsu fine, but combining them is a bit complicated; ice is totally different.' She just blew water bubbles thinking that it would help her forget her frustration. A minute later, fluffy white things fell from the cloud she made.

"This is snow! Oh my G- This is snow!" Hinata watched them fall and dissolve in the water. 'Well, it's not exactly a huge block of ice but this is better than nothing.' She smiled to herself. 'I made snow! Take that Haku-nii, sooner or later I'll master ice techniques too.' Just the thought of it made her really excited. By the time she was finished with her bath, it was already dinnertime.

-----Line-----Line-----Line-----

After the heated battle between Zabuza and Kakashi, the Konoha shinobi proved to be victorious. However, before Kakashi could kill him, Haku came just in time, posed as a Mist hunter-nin. He hit Zabuza on a vital spot making his heart stop beating for a short period of time. For the time being, he fooled the Konoha ninjas and made them think that Zabuza was dead. He then took Zabuza's body to help him with his injuries. They thought about going back home, but they didn't want Hinata to see an injured Zabuza. She would just worry herself to death.

-----Line-----Line-----Line-----

"Ahh! I forgot, I have to prepare dinner. They'll be here anytime soon."Hinata got herself dressed then went to the kitched to prepare supper. 'What should I make for dinner?'

Clutters were heard from the kitchen. Pots and pans were banging, knife chopping, the frying pan is sizzling, and water boiling. An hour had passed and the sounds from the kitchen dissipated.

"Zabuza and Haku will be pleased." She marveled at her creation.

The dinner table was filled with different kinds of food. There were Japanese dumplings called gyoza, and some cucumber and daikon salad. The teriyaki chicken was complete with sauce in the side. She also made some yakisoba, a dish containing fried noddles with carrots, cabbage, and some pork. Of course there were hand rolled sushi, some filled with crabmeat, others with raw tuna, and some with scallops. She also prepared some miso soup that she will pour into their bowls once they arrived. For drinks, she had sake for Zabuza and tea for Haku and herself. Everything was ready, so she waited for her family to arrive and dine with her. Thirty minutes passed and Hinata's stomach grumbled.

"Umm, I'll just eat a little bit. I'll eat with them again when they get here." So she poured miso soup into her bowl and ate just enough so she can eat more when Zabuza and Haku arrived.

Hours passed and still, there were no knocks on the door. Everything was silent. 'Maybe they were just running a little late.' She waited and waited and waited some more, but no one came. It was already eleven o'clock and they were still not home. Hinata was feeling sleepy already so she rested her head on the table. She fell asleep minutes later.

She awoke to some sounds coming from outside. 'No, it was just the wind.' She looked at the time and saw that it was already two o'clock. So, she lazily stood up and placed the food aside. 'I'll just tell them to heat it up when they get back.' Then, she went to her room to sleep.

Morning came and there were still no signs of Zabuza or Haku. She was starting to get worried. When Haku tells her that they will come back a certain time, they will promptly come back that time. 'He was never wrong.' She didn't know what to do. 'Maybe he said they will come back by nightfall on the next day.' She tried to reason with herself. 'No, he just said that they will be home by nightfall. It's morning already, where are they?'

Kakashi and his team were at the bridge and once again, he was face to face with Zabuza for round two. This time however, Haku was with him facing the Konoha genins. The pink-haired girl stood in front of the bridge-builder guarding him. Haku battled with the other two genins.

'No, they're fine. Geez Hinata, stop worrying about them. They're fine.' She told herself.

Kakashi was blinded by Zabuza's mist, but he had another trick up his sleeve. He summoned his dogs who held Zabuza down. Then, he sparked up his famous technique, the chidori, and aimed for Zabuza's heart. But just in time, Haku again, saved his life. He made an ice mirror, transported himself in front of Zabuza, and took the blow to his heart.

Hinata was staring at her teacup thinking when it suddenly cracked. She gasped. 'Oh no, this is a bad omen. That's it, I'm going after them.' She sped to her room and changed to her combat outfit. She made sure she had all the stuff that she may need.

"Everything, check. Now I can go." She went out the door and locked it. She took a few steps in the front of the house then stopped.

"Stupid! Stupid! I don't know where I'm going." 'Great going Hinata.' She paced around the front of the house.

'Where do I find them? Think Hinata think. It shouldn't be out of the country, right? Haku-nii said they'll be back by nightfall, so it shouldn't be somewhere far. Let's see, umm... Good grief, Hinata calm down, think. Ok, breathe in, breathe out, repeat. Oh yeah! I heard them talking about some bridge. Yeah! bridge. Now where did I see a bridge? Ok Hinata, move!'

She sped to the direction she felt her instincts are pulling her. She activated her byakugan and she saw a large group of people gathered in what looked like a broken bridge. She pushed more chakra to her feet and tried to get there as fast as she could. She sensed two familiar chakras, but they are dangerously low. 'Oh no, they're in trouble. Come-on Hinata hurry!'

She arrived at the scene only to witness a heavily injured Zabuza covering the dying Haku from further injury. She saw some men kicking them with no remorse whatsoever. She ran to them and the offensive men gladly gave her space. They smirked as they watched her cry for her dying family.

"Haku-nii –sobs- Zabuza…" Hinata didn't know what to say. She saw how badly injured they were. It was too much for her, she has never seen them injured before.

"Hina," came Haku's soft whisper. "Don't cry."

This made her cry even more. He's the one dying yet he's still thinking of her sake. Hinata held Haku's hand to try to comfort him.

"I-I can't stop Haku-nii. –sobs- G-gomen." She tried to wipe away the tears from her eyes. Haku squeezed her hand lightly.

"You won't leave me, right?" Hinata asked.

"Of course not." Haku smiled. "I will always be with you. Whenever the wind blows, rain drops, or snow falls, I'm there Hina. Remember, I'll always protect you."

He smiled one last time and looked at Zabuza, who looked back at him and nodded in understanding. Then, they closed their eyes for the last time. Hinata cried, and as her tears fell down, snow began falling. 'They're gone…and I couldn't do anything about it.'

"Oh how touching. Little girl, crying won't bring them back from the grave. HAHAHA." The rest of the men laughed with the guy.

The short and stubby man wearing a suit approached her with a smirk plastered on his face. He seemed to be the leader of the pack of men who killed her family. Suddenly, she felt enraged. She glared at them with hate and a dangerous killing intent. They all felt it, so they stepped back at the sudden change of air.

"You killed them!" Her voice sounded poisonous. Her eyes flashed red. "I will kill all of you!"

With a kunai in hand, Hinata lashed out on them. She moved at an amazing speed and slashed her enemies' throat one by one 'til they all fell dead. However, she left one last person alive. She was gunna take her sweet revenge on this one. The leader, whom she learned was named Gato, trembled with fear. 'How could a little girl defeat single handedly defeat all my men?'

"Torture." Hinata licked her lips and stabbed Gato's arm.

"Ahh! Stop it. Stay away from me you little devil." He tried to scramble away. Hinata only approached him again and stabbed the other arm. Then she threw a kunai at his left foot, which sent Gato tumbling backwards and screaming in pain. She did the same thing to the other foot. Hinata jumped on top of his chest and sat down on him. She smirked and grazed the kunai on his lips.

Kakashi and his team stood there dumbfounded. They couldn't move a single muscle, maybe due to exhaustion, or due to shock from what they were seeing.

"Why aren't you laughing now? Huh?" She punched Gato in the face repeatedly, but she still wasn't satisfied. She moved on to cutting his fingers one by one. By that time, Gato already fell unconscious. She smacked him in the face to wake him up. Then she broke all of his remaining bones and left him to die. Then, she calmed.

She walked a few meters away from him then stopped. Realization dawned on her, she had nowhere to go. She was alone once again. She had no more family, no home, and no purpose. She dropped to her knees and cried.

Kakashi approached the crying girl cautiously. He knelt in front of her and took her in his arms. He knew she had nowhere to go, so he decided to take her to Konoha with them. The child plucked his interest. 'I swear her eyes were red when she was fighting.' He wondered who she was and how she was involved with an S-class criminal. He looked at the girl in his arms and saw that she was already sleeping.

"Naruto, Sasuke is injured; you wouldn't mind carrying him would you?" The blonde boy with whiskers in his face complied and carried the unconscious boy with raven hair.

"Sakura, you help him too."

"Hai, sensei." The pink head rushed to help Naruto.

"Well Tazuna (bridge-builder), our work here is done. The next time we visit, we hope to come here by foot." Kakashi said his goodbye.

Tazuna nodded. "Arigato Konoha ninjas."

Hinata unconsciously held on to Kakashi's shirt not knowing that when she wakes up, she's back to the dreadful place she originated from.

* * *

**Mmm..do you think this chapter is boring? Ahh! I don't know. I'll try to do better next time.**

**I was reading the last chapter and I kinda felt that Zabuza was a little too soft. I tried to give him back some manliness in this chapter.**

**To tell you the truth, this chapter was sooo hard to write. Ugh! I can't do fight scenes. If I could just skip to the part where the father is revealed, gah! I would. But we can't do that can we? Gotta respect the plot. Oh..so many revelations are yet to be exposed. I wonder how Hinata would take them all.**

**Also, like I said on the last chapter, the pairings are not decided yet. HakuHina fans, I'm terribly sorry, but I had to kill Haku -cries-. And just to let you all know, I'm a SasuHina fan so…ahh! Lets just see what will happen.**

**I hope you guys were at least a tad bit happy with this chapter coz I worked really hard on it. I wanna remind you all that I luv u! Thank you soo much for the reviews, they keep me going.**

**Review please! Review please! Review please! C'mon give the girl some inspiration**


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